A Closer Walk

Tuesday, 19 August 2014

No Fear in Art - Part Three

Hello Peeps,

I am finally getting back to my painting of a horse. You can see my original two postings here and here. I started with two original photos of horse art that I found on the Internet. I removed the photos from my original posts as I thought I might be infringing on someone's copyright.

I made tracings from the photos - one photo for the body and another for the head. I painted a background in my scrapbook/journal and traced the horse onto watercolor paper. I did a detailed tracing and an under-painting on the body. For the head, I did less detail and no under-painting. I am learning, at least when it comes to art, I often have to do it wrong before I can figure out how to do it right. Less detail in the initial stage is better for me. Otherwise I become too methodical and my creativity is stifled.

Okay, so on to this day's progress. Today I cut out my body and head, pasted them with gel medium to my background and began painting.

Horse pasted to background with gel medium

Now is where I really wish I had not done an under-painting, or had at least done it in grey scale. The original photo was of a black horse and I want mine to be white. My first move was to use watery white paint to cover everything, but still remain transparent. I also did some shading and highlighting on the head. That was SO much easier since I had traced in very little detail and had done no under-painting. I am not saying that anyone should not do an under-painting. They can be very helpful, and please remember that I am a beginner.

White washed and details on face begun

Shading added and some highlights begun

Next I added some shading and a few highlights. The white paint I was using was old and not performing very well. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Wink.) He does not look very much like a white horse at this point. In fact, I might have been closer with the white-washed painting. Oh well. It isn't over yet, but it is certainly over for today. Hopefully I can get it a little closer to what I want next time. Until then I hope you will try something artistic you have wanted to do, but never thought you could.

Unless you are a creative genius, you will make mistakes. Don't be afraid of your mistakes. You don't have to be as crazy as me and post them for the whole world (or a small piece of it) to see. Your mistakes are valuable because they are part of your wonderful creative process. Try not to throw out your failed attempts. They will make you feel great when you compare them with what you are doing six months from now because, if you keep at it, you will improve. I promise. Just remember - There is no fear in art.

9 comments:

How interesting, creative and beautiful. Some of my best pieces are ones which had a glitch! lol I usually find a way to make a mistake into something I actually like, in time. You are right, there is no fear in art.

I just love the progress you have made with this horse and thank you for writing about what you are doing as it helps to understand the process. I look forward to seeing what the next stage will be :))Love ~ Lady Anne xxx

Oh, I'm so glad to see the next steps, Teresa. His face is marvelous and I think he does look like a white horse. It's just that right now he has more shading and less highlighting. :-D I love the "ocean" in the background.

Oh, my word, I love your horse! So ethereal looking! Love the background painting as well as the horse itself! Such a brave artist--I do not show a number of items I have done, because I am a fraidy-cat, lol! :^)Hugs, Penny

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About Me

Tickell was my Scottish mother's maiden name. Mum could make clothes without a pattern, sing "Oh Danny Boy" with a lovely trilling voice, carve doll furniture out of balsa wood, make beautiful porcelain dolls and was even a closet poet. Tickell Expressions is the place where I get to express my own creativity while honoring the memory of my very creative Mum.